A pub in New Zealand has just unveiled a puppet of Jacinda Ardern.
The Backbencher pub, opposite the parliament house in Wellington, has been creating politician puppets for 30 years.
Ardern was snapped holding her hand over her mouth when the puppet was unveiled.
“I’m often asked what the most unusual thing I’m asked to do as prime minister is. Unveiling a puppet in your likeness is right up there,” she said.
PM comes face to face with her ‘heavenly’ new pub puppet. https://t.co/q0ankdWkKM pic.twitter.com/LrnNR3jXj3
— nzherald (@nzherald) June 22, 2021
It’s puppet time at the iconic Backbencher pub! All smiles from Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins. @NewstalkZB pic.twitter.com/StWWlXEMbe
— Aaron Dahmen (@dahmenaaron) June 22, 2021
Jacinda Ardern and her new Backbencher puppet. Says she’s concerned that she’s been immortalised as a celestial being because in order to be a celestial being you have to be dead pic.twitter.com/bbj5VVaI83
— Katie Scotcher (@katiescotcher) June 22, 2021
The puppet vs the reaction. pic.twitter.com/9UCk3MizGB
— Abbey Wakefield (@Beywake) June 22, 2021
Transgender weightlifter
Ardern has also has backed the selection of trailblazing athlete Laurel Hubbard to their Olympic team, saying she goes to Tokyo with the country’s full support.
Ms Hubbard is set to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics after winning selection in New Zealand’s weightlifting team.
‘Laurel is a member of our Olympic team and has support from us,’ Ardern said.
‘All parties here have simply followed the rules. That’s the case for Laurel but also the team in New Zealand, they have followed the rules.’
Sport Minister Grant Robertson said he was ‘extremely proud of Laurel Hubbard as I am of all of New Zealand’s Olympic team’.
Related: Remembering Ardern’s pay cut as Tory donor asked to ‘pay to literally wipe the PM’s baby’s bottom’